Charlo steals the show

MISSOULA - The Charlo boys' track and field team carried their dream season one step further last weekend by not just winning the boys' Western C divisional track and field championships in Missoula, but literally blowing away the competition.

"It just seemed like every event that we were in, the kids felt like they had a chance to not only place, but in a lot of cases, win," coach Bret Thompson said. "That was contagious for both the boys and the girls."

Senior Cody Nitschke and sophomore Stephen Delaney led the field for a one-two finish in the 110-meter hurdles, then charged on to place second and fourth in the 300 hurdles where Nitschke lowered the school record to 40.12.

Junior Michael Smith lowered his school record from last week to 10:33.46 with a second place finish in the 3,200 and in the 1,600, placed third in 4:52.82 behind junior Chance Rosenbaum (4:51.03) in second. Rosenbaum, again turned in solid performances in all his events, adding a second in the 800 with a PR 2:05.44 and a second in the pole vault (12-0).

Senior Chance Firestone took top honors in the pole vault with a final height of 12-6 and Jame Peterson's 11-6 was good enough for fourth. Firestone won the long jump too, soaring over 20-2.5.

Junior Chico Stipe gutted out his marquee event, the 100 in 11.53, then almost nabbed a victory in the 200, but finishing just out of the money in silver with a time of 24.32.

Charlo's big guns took the line to dominate the two relay events; Stipe, Firestone, Rosenbaum and Nitschke posted a PR 3:34.36 and inched even further into the No. 1 spot in Class C for that event. The 400 relay swapped Rosenbaum for junior Austin Bauer (fifth and sixth in the 100 and 200, respectively) and cruised to a win over second place Sheridan by more than one second.

The girls' team stepped up too, seniors Stephanie Maughan and Jaris Kelley topped the pole vault podium, placing one-two with vaults of 8-6 each. Kelley also placed third in the javelin with a throw of 109-11.

Freshman Rachel Hoyt went a whole four inches higher than she's ever gone in the high jump, clearing 5-0 to take fourth and tie the Charlo school record.

Shaelyn Fell's hurdling was in good form with the junior's 16.57 in the 100 good for runner up.

Dropping six seconds off her season's best, junior Brittany Shaver came in fifth place in the 800 with a time of 2:29.49. She turned in a good time in the 1,600 too, placing fourth in 5:55.31.

"The kids have an opportunity to do well," Thompson said. "Now it's just a matter of performing on the track."